The Mind Mistress
by Written Parody
Summary: It seems like the time for celebration: 009 and 002 were saved from their fall by 001 and Black Ghost is gone. But before their downfall BG started a new mission to annihilate the 00 cyborgs, and the new threat is about to arrive. T for V and mild L.
1. The Decision

The Mind Mistress

_AN: I have had the vague plot for this fic in my head for a very long time and I thought it was time to take a break from A:TLA and show some love for my other fandoms. Unfortunately this fic is going to be short, just like all my others. Though in my defence it started out as a oneshot and grew in my head, so at least it __**somewhat **__grew in size._

_Now the __**warnings **__for this little ficlet. It won't be updated that soon because school hates me (even now I'm supposed to be writing English essays and not Cyborg 009 fanfictions). Its plot, despite being almost two years old, is still a little wishy-washy. But what else would you expect from me? There are bound to be some scenes of OOC-ness, because I haven't watched the show in donkey's ages. It also features no real pairing, a lot of hurting Joe scenes and a pretty important original character. (BOO HISS for me bringing in an OC!) _

_If all that doesn't bother you, and you want to read anyway… You are amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And without further ado I give you the first chapter, in which nothing really happens except the starting point for the rest of the plot. All reviews, whether good, bad or flames, are welcome. _

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**Disclaimer: **I do not own Cyborg 009 or anything associated with it. And, if anybody really questions me, I'll say I don't own my OC either just to avoid the confrontation.

HUGE THANKS to BiggestFanGirl for all her help on this already, even when it hasn't even started yet.

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**Chapter 1: The Decision **

There was scarcely a cloud in the sky, nor did a breeze or a sound shatter the stillness of the brilliant night. The stars and moon bathed him in a soft light where he sat on the windowsill, one leg hanging down and scraping against the outside wall of the house. His dark eyes were trained on the heavens, as though he wanted to absorb the light of the stars and hold it within him forever. Ever since they had fallen, burning and so sure they would die, his companion Jet had refused to look at the stars. He said he'd seen enough of them already on that day. But Joe couldn't get enough of them; they reminded him how lucky he really was to be alive. And there, on the outskirts of Tokyo in Koizumi's mansion, they seemed especially bright and peaceful.

A roar of laughter and an exclamation of anger tore through the silence and Joe smiled, reflexively looking down to the windows beneath him that opened to the sitting room, where the rest of his team-mates were still busy playing _30 Seconds_. From the sound of it, big-mouthed Jet wasn't winning as he had loudly predicted. The thought of it made Joe chuckle, although he kept it as quiet as he could so that nobody would hear him. According to them he was supposed to be asleep. He needed rest, they said. He didn't argue outright with them, but he rarely heeded them either. Black Ghost was gone so he had time to stop and actually see the world around him, for once. G. Junior was right: it truly was amazing.

Another roar and commotion of voices talking over each other reached his ears, arguing playfully and teasing each other with snide comments.

"So, the rumour is true. The fabled rebel cyborg team acts as a family."

The voice was low, feminine and unfamiliar. Although it was calm and matter-of-fact it caused his body to become immediately tense. With his heart pounding and his every nerve suddenly on edge, he forced himself to answer before looking around to the tree behind him.

"I didn't know there was a rumour."

He heard whoever it was snort and he turned as slowly as he could manage to look. She was seated on one limb of the tree, looking at the same window he was, her legs swinging gently beneath her. She couldn't have been a day over fourteen when they turned her into a cyborg, and her youth surprised him. Her braided hair hung to the middle of her back and was a purple so dark it was almost black. Bits of it hung in her eyes, which looked to be the same colour as her hair in the dark. She was wearing a knee-length skirt, plain T-Shirt and knee-high socks with ballet pumps. If it weren't for her darker skin she would have looked like an average Japanese schoolgirl. But what disturbed him the most was her expression. It was entirely calm and undisturbed, instead of twisted into a sneer or burning with hate like the faces of his enemies from before.

She saw him looking and turned to face him, her expression still mild.

"So. You are 009 of the rebel cyborgs." One blink. "You're better looking than they said you were."

This threw him completely. He'd never been complimented prior to an attack before.

"Uh… Thanks… But… who are you?"

"I am Mayura of Black Ghost," she answered calmly.

He was instantly tense again, positioning himself so he was ready to leap up at any moment for a fight.

"Relax. My mission here tonight is just to give you a choice and hear your decision."

"I thought we'd destroyed all of Black Ghost's cyborgs," he said, ignoring her last sentence.

"The group I belong to was originally designed to be immortal ambassadors and consultants for Black Ghost. The idea is that in 200 years or so there will still be Black Ghost operatives. But when you and your…family… became increasingly disruptive to their war efforts The Black Ghost decided to use my team to create a new, perfect weapon with which to annihilate you. You know the story: more scientists, bigger risks, et cetera. They were going to catch you lot off guard with this new weapon but before they could begin their little game of cat-and-mouse you defeated them. But my team feels the plan still needs to be carried out. We've been waiting patiently for almost a year and we will not let all of that disruption go to waste."

Joe remained silent. He'd been afraid something like this would happen. The peace had just been too good to be true. But would they we able to defeat this new 'perfect' weapon?

"You said we had a choice?" he hedged, looking for any sort of advantage.

"No. _You _have a choice, Cyborg 009. Black Ghost hated you the most out of all of them. They wanted you dead most. Without you, the team would never have been as strong. So, _you _get the choice. Either you face our weapon alone or your entire team faces it together."

So he could choose whether it was just him getting hurt or whether it was his entire family. There wasn't even a choice at all.

"Just me." he said.

_I want them safe. _

She inclined her head, still expressionless.

"Then be ready at 4PM tomorrow. As soon as the clock strikes the hour you will be taken to face the Mind Mistress."

She got up in one fluid movement, balancing perfectly on the branch.

"They knew I'd choose that option, didn't they?" Joe's voice was quiet.

"They did not know for sure, but they hoped. They hoped very, very much."

And then she was gone, swallowed up by the night, faster than he could blink. Joe slumped against the sill again and looked up to the stars. For the first time since he'd been turned into a cyborg he prayed.

-x-x-x-

"Can't I just eat some now? Please, 006."

"Don't be so impatient! I know you love the dish, but supper is only a few hours away. Or aren't you planning on eating tonight, hmm?"

"I… don't think I'll be here," the younger cyborg mumbled.

Chang looked at him closely.

"Are you alright? You've been quiet all day. Do you want me to fix you up one of my instant flu remedies?"

"No! Er… Thanks… I'm not feeling sick. I just… I might have some errands to run tonight…"

He then made his escape, quickly slipping out of the kitchen and heading back upstairs. He paused outside the first room in the hall, looking in to see its occupant standing and staring out of the window. He went in and stood behind her, trying to see what she was staring at so intently.

"What's going on, Joe?" She asked, her voice muted with fear. "You've been subtly saying goodbye to everybody all day. I've heard you. Where are you going?"

Her wide blue eyes met his and he opened his mouth to reassure her, even though he did not know what he would say. Obviously he couldn't tell her the truth; she would tell the rest and they'd try to stop him. He refused to put them in any danger when he had the chance to be the only one getting hurt.

"You'd better start talking," Jet's voice said from the doorway. He was leaning against the door-frame, with Albert visible behind him, arms crossed. "Until you spill the beans you aren't leaving this room. And even if you get past _us_ somehow, the rest are waiting in the hall."

"Even 008 and 005 are in on this one," GB's voice called.

Joe sighed. They could be difficult when they tried.

"Look, guys I want to…"

He stopped abruptly as his eyes caught sight of the clock on the wall. Somehow it had drawn his eyes as the second hand was entering the homestretch towards 4 o' clock_. Is it that late already? I wanted to be out by now so they wouldn't have any chance to follow!_ Even as the thoughts flickered through his head the clock struck the hour.

_It's time, Cyborg 009_ a voice whispered in his ear.

Everything started to fade away to blackness so rapidly he could have been closing his eyes. He felt a hand on his arm, a voice calling his name anxiously, but he could not answer; the darkness swallowed him too quickly.


	2. The Present

_AN: ~Chapter two. Please review if you liked it... or if you didn't =) _

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Cyborg 009 or anything related

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Chapter 2: The Present

"Doctor! DOCTOR!"

Jet's voice vibrated through the house.

"What, what, what? What have you done _now_?"

Dr Gilmore stuck his head out of his study, his expression irritated.

"It's 009! He just collapsed!" The American's voice was rather panicked as he skidded into the hall.

"What?!" All irritation disappeared. "What's wrong with him?"

"I… I don't know… He just… Fell down… _You're _supposed to tell _me_!"

"Bring him downstairs to the lab at once."

Jet hurtled back upstairs and Dr Gilmore hurried downstairs, all thoughts of work forgotten. He flicked on the lights quickly as he descended the stairs to the laboratory they had set up in the basement. The old doctor sighed to himself, remembering his hope that they would not need to use this room now that Black Ghost was gone. He had just finished getting one of the cots ready when G Junior came down the stairs carrying an unconscious Joe. What followed was a very thorough check of all the cyborg's systems while the rest of the team, excluding Ivan and Koizumi, breathed down his neck and watched. After half an hour The Doctor was forced to admit he could find nothing wrong.

"Nothing? But he's…"

"Yes, I know, 007. But there just isn't anything physically wrong with him. When 001 wakes up I'll ask him to take a look at the mental side of things. Maybe he'll pick something up I cannot. Until then we can only monitor him."

He would not admit it, but he felt the same way the rest of them looked at the news. To escape showing his own fear- he was the _doctor _for cripe's sake!- he turned his back to them and inserted an IV and checked the heart rate monitor.

_Oh, Joe. What have you gotten yourself into this time? _

-x-x-x-

The sky was the wrong colour; a grey-lilac instead of blue. This was the first thing that confused him when he opened his eyes. Sitting up he found himself at the edge of a huge, dense forest that stretched as far as he could see. Behind him was… nothing. He frowned, wondering if the flowing white was mist or smoke from a weapon or if it was simply the edge of the world. He'd seen weirder.

"Welcome, Cyborg 009."

He leapt to his feet, hand immediately reaching for his gun. His hand gripped air and his heart plummeted; he was un-armed. But his emotions quickly turned to shock as he saw who had spoken his name.

"Mayura?" She nodded, her loose hair falling into her face. "What are you…? Where's…?" The realization struck him. "_You're _the Mind Mistress?!"

"When the people working in my team got turned into cyborgs they got code names too. Not numbers like you all did but actual names. When I joined they let me keep my human name, because Mayura means 'illusion' and so it fit well enough. But as they tested my powers, one came up with the nickname 'Mind Mistress' and it stuck."

"So… All of this…" he said slowly. "This entire forest… It's an illusion? It's all…"

"In your mind, yes. Very good; it usually takes people longer to figure that part out. I am controlling your mind and can thus project the things I need"- she gestured to the forest-"into it. But don't be fooled. I don't only project images. If you hit your head in this place, you _will _feel pain and your actual head _will _get a lump."

"Does that mean what I'm saying is actually coming out of my mouth?" He frowned as he imagined how odd that was going to sound.

"No, not if you are only talking. My powers allow me to keep conversation in this place in your head. But as soon as you start yelling, those in the real world will hear you."

She looked at him steadily as he winced at the news. His team would not be very happy if he randomly started screaming for no reason they could see. He'd have to watch himself. He looked at the young girl.

"So, what now? Do we fight?"

"No, my powers are purely mental. You'd be able to beat me within three minutes at a physical battle. Now you follow me and go through three trials. At the end of the three trials you get another decision and then it ends."

"If I survive you mean," he said dryly.

She inclined her head. "_If_ you survive. But I think you will- you are strong."

They were walking now, whilst Mayura lead him through the dense trees calmly, like she'd know the way with her eyes closed even though every tree was the same.

"What happens if I survive?"

"If you truly do, you will go back."

"And, if I don't?" He watched her hair shimmer in an unseen light.

"Then you won't." she replied simply.

"I mean, what will happen to… the rest?"

"I wouldn't know- I cannot see into the future. But I do know that no member of my team will contact them at all, whether you live or die. This is the test, the battle. When it is over, it is over, regardless of the outcome."

"You won't go after them?" He was incredulous.

"No. You made your choice. My battle is with you only."

"And the rest of your team?"

He did not believe her; she was Black Ghost.

"They have maximum three fight planes and two shotguns and I am the only cyborg warrior there. They were created for business, not battle. Unless they want to die, they will steer clear of you all."

This comforted him, even though he wasn't sure at all if he could trust Mayura. But _if_ he could and _if_ she was telling the truth then no matter what happened to him, his team would be safe.

They were standing in a clearing so suddenly it was as if he'd blinked the place into existence. It was small though, and the trees there were lined with thorny creepers. Mayura turned to face him.

"This is the first test."

Joe looked around, expecting to see lurking soldiers, an obstacle course, or _something_. The absence of anything menacing made him very uneasy.

"What is it?" he finally had to ask.

"The present." Her eyes were locked onto his and they were a dark, deep blue rather than purple, as he'd first thought.

"The present?" His eyebrow rose rather mockingly. "Like in 'A Christmas Carol'?"

"No. This is not a warning; it is a trial. And it begins now." She dropped down to the ground, landing with crossed legs as she looked up at him with wide eyes. "For our purposes, your present is everything since 001 first woke you up. We'll go in random order, starting with you falling."

He jerked back in shock as, in front of his eyes as if he was looking at an invisible TV screen, he again saw the earth looming up to meet him. The heavens were brilliant with stars, and he could see the red haze starting to surround him. Suddenly Jet's face came into view. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he remembered it all too well.

"If you'd wriggled more, he would have let you go. If you'd tried harder to shake him off, he wouldn't have nearly died. It was a mistake you made because there was a small part of you that didn't want to die alone."

The truth of her words sent guilt flooding through him. If Jet had died, it would have been his fault. He stared at the picture playing before his eyes, struggling with himself and the blame. Suddenly a piercing, stabbing pain ripped up his arm. Managing to choke down his cry of pain he looked down to see one of the thorny creepers from the surrounding trees digging into his arm. He had no idea how the thorns had penetrated his bulletproof skin, but they had and they _hurt _more than he would have thought possible. He tried to rip them out but at his tugging they only sunk deeper and more firmly into him.

"Your old friends," Mayura continued, causing his head to jerk back to her. "You could have done so much more to help them. And yet all three died…"

And then he was watching the last battle with his three old family members: Mary speeding towards him, tail flying and teeth bared. _"Well I _do _hate you! What happened to us is _your _fault!" _he remembered Shin'ichi yelling at him. Sadness gripped him as he relived their last few moments; them refusing to kill him. And he knew, as he always had, that he could have saved him. Guilt seemed to suffocate him as he berated himself for not doing more, for not keeping them safe.

Suddenly it was not only his guilt suffocating him. Gagging, he tried to rip the thorny tendril from where it was snaking around his neck, but his tugs again only had the opposite effect. Dragging in air with effort he managed to face Mayura, comprehension filtering slowly through the haze of his understanding: _This_ was the test. Every mistake he'd made as a cyborg would hurt him this way and the more he tried to resist the worse it would be.

He was abruptly unsure as to whether he could survive the Mind Mistress, as he had been since he'd seen who she was.

"Now for the sisters of the Yomi kingdom…"

-x-x-x-

:I do not understand it. There is not anything wrong with him- I just cannot access his mind. He has shut me out.:

"We can do that?" Jet sounded disgruntled at the news that he'd had the ability to keep the infant out of his head for so long without realizing.

:You shouldn't be able to, no. I am rather powerful, and linked to all of you very strongly…:

"So, you're saying it's something out of the ordinary?" GB guessed.

:Precisely. Whether some system in him has activated and has caused his mind to shut down so powerfully I cannot penetrate it even at full force-:

"Impossible," Gilmore interrupted at once. "Black Ghost needed him operational at all times, no matter what risk that created. A System Shut down like that would never have been installed."

:Then it's probably the second option. Someone else is using their powers to lock 009 in his head.:

"Why would anybody want to do that?" Françoise's voice broke slightly.

:Well…:

"Well what?" Albert's voice was curt.

:The most probable explanation is that whoever, or whatever, it is wants to control his subconscious completely.:

"You mean make him their _puppet_?" Pyuma's face twisted.

:That's unlikely. He's too advanced for that to happen so easily. They most probably just want to break him in his mind so that his power will fail. At this very moment, from what I can gather he's probably being tortured in his subconscious; made to believe he is feeling pain that he cannot fight.:

"He's in pain?"

:Unfortunately, that is the most likely reality.:

"How do we help him? There has to be a way!"

:If there was a way, I would have helped him already. But the barrier enclosing him is too strong, even for me. All we can do is hope he pulls through this. I'm sorry.:

All nine of the people in the room stared gloomily at an impassive Joe, all wondering how much pain he was going through.


	3. The Past

**An: **This one's really short but it stays with Joe the whole time. Reviews will be loved.

MUCH LOVE and thanks to BiggestFanGirl for her amazng editing work.

**Disclaimer: Cyborg 009 is not mine. **

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**Chapter 3: The Past **

His body wasn't healing. Usually by then the holes would have started to close and the bleeding would have stopped. But blood continued to drip down to the ground he was on on all fours, shivering and retching yet still refusing to cry out. Dimly it occurred to him that the reason he was not healing was because he wasn't really in his body. His body was the self-healing thing, not his mind. He tried to make himself believe that he wasn't really feeling the pain, that it was all an illusion, but it was too sharp, stinging and strength stealing for him to ignore.

He raised his eyes to Mayura's face, only a few inches away from him as she sat cross-legged and watching him. Her expression as she watched him was blank, as it had been through every memory she'd made him re-live. A part of him wished she would at least show some emotion. Even burning hate would be better than this constant blankness. Towards the end of the first trial he had been too distracted by the pain to really notice the mistakes playing before his eyes and Mayura, sensing his diversion, had made the memories run slower. A part of him felt he deserved what was happening. It wasn't as if Mayura was lying to him: he'd made every mistake she showed him. He'd caused so many others so much pain…

"Are you going to continue to the second task or are you giving up?"

Her voice was the first sound he'd head apart from his panting for a long time and it made him jump slightly in surprise. He looked straight into the Mind Mistress's impassive eyes and, for a split second, wondered if it was even worth going to the second task. It was almost guaranteed to be harder, and a part of him didn't want to see what else Mayura could dig up about him. Besides, the rest would be safe anyway… And it _hurt_…

"Lead the way."

He forced himself up, swaying rather dangerously when he finally managed to get upright but managing to stay on his feet. Mayura got up in one fluid move and began to make her way through the trees again. Joe stumbled after her, using the thick trunks as supports. He was very grateful the younger cyborg seemed to be in no hurry; his legs were shaking badly. They came to another clearing, this one larger and almost a perfect oval. Wearily, he checked the trees but to his relief found that there were no thorny creepers on the branches surrounding him. Mayura stepped over a circle of thick stones and gestured that he should stand in the middle. He looked at her, suddenly wondering why he was obeying her like a dog…

"You were smart enough not to try and fight me before when you were still strong." Mayura said calmly, her gaze never leaving his. "Don't begin to be stupid now."

With a slight frown he walked to the middle of the circle, wishing he'd thought of attacking her before or that there was at least a tree in the circle that he could hold on to.

"Now what?" His voice was slightly cracked.

"Task two." She replied impassively. "The past."

Again, memories began to appear before his eyes. A little boy of about ten flickered into view and with a start of surprise Joe recognised him as one of his fellow orphans. The boy had a pointed face and scrawny arms and was scowling at Joe darkly. Suddenly his fists clenched and he started yelling, bur what he was mad about was lost as again there was no sound. Suddenly he saw his eleven-year-old self tackle the other boy and the two of them began pummelling each other, fists flying, legs kicking and even teeth working their way into their opponent's flesh.

The tangle of their limbs and bodies rolled over and over until very suddenly it stopped. The younger Joe, being on top, smashed his fists into the boy's face and then tensed to defend himself from the return blow that was sure to come. But the boy remained still and bloody and Joe leapt up, lip streaming blood and eyes wide as he stared down at the motionless and beaten boy he had recently been on top of. The brunette stumbled back and then began to run as fast as he could to get help.

"He got seriously hurt."

"I, I know. He was in the hospital for a week…" Shame coloured his face. "I just, I didn't mean to hu-"

"He was weaker than you thought he would be. Or you were just stronger. The fact remains that he was hurt because of you. It was your fault; your mistake…" Joe's head lowered under the weight of shame and guilt the statement brought. "And you must pay for what you did."

Mayura clicked her fingers and suddenly he was standing in the middle of a raging circle of fire. He had thus far managed to keep his silence but as the flames erupted around him, searing hot and engulfing all of him, he couldn't help but yell in pain. The fire crawled into his open wounds and sent waves of pain like he's never known before crashing through him. As quickly as it had come the fire was gone, allowing him to fall to his knees and retch again; he had no actual stomach to empty. Joe was gasping and shaking, the smell of burning thick in his nostrils. His body longed for the oblivion of unconsciousness, but he knew it would not come.

"The past hurts more than the present, most times," Mayura's tranquil voice murmured.

He didn't bother lifting his head to look at her; he knew she would still be expressionless even though he had finally given in. He wondered almost detachedly who had heard him scream and what they thought. Were they trying to help him in ways he'd never heard of before? Were they loosing sleep? Had Françoise heard him with her super hearing, and had he hurt her? He didn't want to hurt _her_…

Even as he stared at the ground thinking these things memories began to form in front of his eyes again. He was older now, almost fourteen. He could tell because he recognised the night he was being shown at once: it was Masaru's birthday. Mary's face was disapproving and she was telling them not to go, but none of them listened or bothered to give her more than a shrug or sorry look before they left out the open window. The first place they hit was the church's morgue. They changed name-tags on coffins and swapped urn lids around like crazy, laughing all the while. When their silent destruction was wrought they headed into town, keeping to the shadows like thieves. Sin'ichi and Masaru stopped in front of a little liquor store and signalled Joe to go in. He took a deep breath and charged into the store, waving his arms and feigning panic. He couldn't remember the story he'd told, but whatever it had been the solitary store-owner bought it and rushed outside with him to help in the disaster that wasn't real. As they left the store Joe gave his two hidden friends a signal and they entered the now vacant store swiftly and silently. He meanwhile led the store-owner to a nearby trash heap, gesturing wildly. The two dug through the trash, him less enthusiastically as he knew nothing was really there, until the store-owner finally gave up and started with what was obviously an interrogation even without sound. Joe gave him a wide, highly innocent look that came very easily to his features and the disgruntled man returned to his store. As soon as he was gone Joe sauntered up to a thick clump of bushes and pushed his way in until he found the clearing in the middle. Masaru and Sin'ichi were already there and they held up bottles of stolen alcohol with huge grins as he appeared. Masaru clapped him on the back heartily, congratulating him for his good acting. Sin'ichi handed him a bottle of cheap Vodka. His eyebrow raising mockingly when Joe hesitated. Masaru rebuked his friend, but Joe's resolve had been hardened by the sneer and he took the bottle, readied himself for a second and then put the bottle to his lips and tipped his head back, drinking deeply. He pulled it away quickly, face screwed up and Vodka streaming from his nose and mouth as he choked. The other two began roaring with laughter and Joe could remember the blush that had tainted his features along with the sheepish smile. Sin'ichi passed him a bottle of pinkish liquid and he drank that instead. The memory began to fade as he began to remember less and less due to the alcohol.

"He was barely getting by as it was; the loss of nine bottles of his finest crippled him."

It seemed the only expressions he was wearing in that place were pain and guilt. The latter tore across his face then as he stared at the ground. He didn't have to be told that that had been a mistake. Stealing alcohol while under age, messing with a crypt… It had been a very, very bad mistake. Who knew how many people he'd hurt by his actions? The families of the dead people they'd messed with must have been devastated to find the person they were burying was not their own…

This time he knew what was coming and so he managed to make no sound for almost three minutes. But the flames were too hot, too searing to keep silent forever and whimpers and short cries escaped his lips. It was ironic, he mused as a break in the flames came, bringing with it the next memory. He'd never _really _believed in what the Father had said and yet there he was: burning for his sins.


	4. The Future

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Cyborg 009

**Thanks to Biggestfangirl for being an amazing beta for this story**

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**Chapter 4: The Future**

She knew crying would not help anybody at all, and yet she could not stop the tears spilling from her eyes. One landed on Joe's face and she actually expected it to sizzle into steam. That was how high his fever was. Biting her lip she brushed some of his sweat-soaked hair from his forehead, feeling the heat beneath her fingers. He twitched, but she knew it was not because of her touch.

"How is he?"

She glanced at Albert as he stood in the doorway and shook her head.

"Still the same. Non-responsive to us, hurting because of something in his head and burning hot despite us having tried everything."

"Did Dr Gilmore go to sleep?"

"Eventually. I managed to convince him that sleep would bring the brilliant answer to him." A pause. "He's genuinely very worried."

"We all are," the German murmured. "Joe's… our brother. Our _youngest _brother, if you take all the years of being a half-human ice-cream into account. And we're so used to being able to _do _something; we're built to be weapons, after all. Not being able to do anything but watch…"

"At least he's quiet now…" A tremor passed through her at the memories of the screaming.

"Yeah. It scared the living circuits out of us when he started yelling like that out of the blue." Albert entered the room and hovered next to where she sat. Gently, yet awkwardly, he wiped away the last of her tears. "He'll be fine. He's the strongest person I know, and the strongest cyborg. He'll pull through..."

"He knew about it. That's… That's why he was…"

"002 thinks so as well. He's been cursing 009 for it all evening."

A small smile twitched at her pretty lips. She had to keep hoping. If Albert could, then she should be able too. She had to keep believing he would come back. Because the thought of him leaving…

:Come back, Joe. Please.: The link remained blocked but she tried again anyway. :Please! Please come back…:

Unbeknownst to her, Albert was pleading too. The German man sighed.

"I really do wonder what's making him burn up like this…"

-x-x-x-

It wouldn't stop. The burning wouldn't stop. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to feel cool, not to be engulfed in red, orange and yellow hell. Maybe if he begged the person who was tending the fire would make it hotter so that it would truly finish him off instead of allowing him to barely hold on to life and consciousness… Red and orange turned to brown and some of the heat disappeared. He didn't move, barely breathed, tried to let go of consciousness and pain in vain…

"_You have no concept of what 'enough' is, Joe. You just keep on pushing everything: pushing your luck, pushing your arrogance, pushing up your disregard for everybody but yourself."_

He wondered idly, with a small part of his brain if the voice was caused by the next memory; the Father has certainly been mad at him when he'd said that. But the brown stayed brown, the voice did not come back and the heat remained muted. Light footsteps trudged to where he was lying and suddenly two hands rolled him over so the brown disappeared and grey-lilac appeared instead. He looked slightly to the left and found Mayura crouched next to him, her face blank.

"The next task is the future, Cyborg 009. It is shorter than the other two because the future is never set in stone. But it will also hurt even more; nobody likes to see what they will do one day. It feels too far out of their control."

There was a slithering noise and some of the thorny creepers wound harmlessly around Mayura's legs, waiting for their real prey to come available.

"B…Both of them?" he choked out.

She nodded and he tried to quell the terror that ran through him at the thought of being burnt and pierced all at once. He knew Black Ghost had expected him to give up by the first trial and he could wholly understand why. But he had lasted to the end of the second trial, something that would probably amount to one of the seven hells if somebody came to rate it. Would anybody really blame him if he gave up then? He wouldn't last the third trial anyway; he was too beaten. Black Ghost had won this one, no matter what. He was done.

_Are these my thoughts or the thoughts Mayura is putting into my head? _He didn't care what the answer was any more.

He could only imagine how much he'd hurt his family in the future, how much his decisions and compassion for the wrong people would tear them apart. 004 was right; they'd done great without him before. He didn't want to hurt them; they were his family. His brothers and… Oh Françoise… She _did _deserve better. He'd known that all along. It seemed the only way to protect them from Black Ghost was… to let Black Ghost win. Then they'd be safe from his mistakes.

"I'll… hurt… them… too much…" His forehead furrowed at the thought.

As she saw the acceptance of death cross his face Mayura's face changed for the first time. Her eyes gained more depth as emotion filled them. Gently she placed her index finger on his forehead.

:Come back, Joe. Please.:

:Hey, come on, kid. You can't back out on us now. Not after you've worried us so much! We see you as a brother.:

:Please! Please come back…:

:Joe… Come on, man. Don't give us this _sheisse_…:

"You would have heard the two of them say that if I hadn't closed your mind links. None of it is forged. They want you back."

The two cyborgs stared at each other for a long while.

"So… Th… the third trial?"

Mayura's lips puckered as she thought.

"I think you have been through it in a way already. And the future is not concrete like the past or present: nobody can dictate it. And seeing as the future I'll show you is just a compiled list of possible scenarios I'd basically be showing you lies…"

"What now?" He couldn't believe she was helping him.

"Do you want to go back?"

He thought it through, weighing all the guilt and fear of what he would do, had done and was doing at the moment. "Yes."

A nod. "Then you have _truly _survived, Joe. Go back through the trees to where you started and then jump off the edge. And hurry."

She was gone without another word. It took him a while to struggle to his feet, but the edge of the trees was close and so he could lean on the broad trunks soon. A whipping noise caused him to turn his head and nearly yelp: a thorny, flaming horde of creepers were heading towards him. His face and resolve hardened. He was getting out of there. He would…

_Just keep ahead of the creepers… Carry on going… Carry on… Don't stop… Carry… _

-x-x-x-

An irritated sigh escaped the old scientist's lips.

"Do all of you _really _have to be in here?"

Seven pairs of innocent, pleading or challenging eyes met his, and he threw up his hands in defeat. Muttering about how their presence would do nothing for the situation he again began to inspect Joe. Once again he found nothing wrong; the perplexing lacerations on his skin had healed and the fever was gone too. He sighed again, turned to tell this to the rest of his cyborgs and nearly gave himself whiplash when he spun around again.

Joe had began to shake and jerk uncontrollably. He actually expected the brunette to start frothing at the mouth like it happened in films, but nothing of the sort happened. The monitors were suddenly going haywire, and a lot of people were roaring in shock or horror.

"Hold him down! Hold him down!"

"What's going on?"

"009! 009, can you hear us?"

"What do we do? What do we do!"

"Move! Mind! I need to see! MOVE!"

But even as Dr Gilmore reached him, Joe stopped moving and the monitors calmed. Everybody gave each other scared, wide-eyed glances. Suddenly, Françoise was sure she heard a sound. Trying hard not to hope too much she bent over the boy in the bed beside her.

"Joe?

Her reply was the most beautiful sight in the world: his smile that made his warm eyes crinkle.

* * *

One more chapter to go. Reviews will be loved =)


	5. Mayura's Promise

**AN: **And here's the end. Thanks so so much for reading. And another huge, heartfelt thanks to BiggestFanGirl for being an amazing Beta/

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing except Mayura.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Mayura's Promise **

They were all gaping at him, as though their jaws had been dislodged. Even G Junior looked completely flabbergasted. Dr Koizumi had a cup of tea raised halfway to his lips that he had completely forgotten about in his shock.

"So… wait..." GB shook his head slowly. "A cyborg agent of Black Ghost appeared outside your window, told you her name was The Mind Mistress, of all things, and then told you that you could choose between two battles, one with all of us and one with just you… And you chose _just you_!"

Joe nodded. He'd already told them everything that had happened, leaving out only Mayura's real name and the exact details of the memories he'd been shown. And exactly how much the trials had hurt, but he had the sneaking suspicion they knew that anyway.

"If you weren't already in an infirmary cot I'd kick your good-for-nothing ass," Jet growled. "Asshole! What gives you the right to play our master?"

Joe shrugged calmly. "I was the one given the choice. So I made the decision. Besides, it's over now."

"Hmmm… I don't think it is, 009," Dr Gilmore said thoughtfully. "We need to find this place and shut down the cyborgs working for Black Ghost or it will never die."

"How do we find them, though? We know already they don't show up on our radars or we would have found them already. 001 is out for the count and it's not like we can just Google 'The Mind Mistress's address'," Jet scoffed, folding his arms.

"Besides, we don't know what approach to take," Chang said thoughtfully. "Before we've just gone in, guns blazing, but it doesn't seem right to do that to a place that isn't armed…"

"But if we don't, the Mind Mistress will render us unable to fight," Albert pointed out.

"The way Joe told it, it seems she'd programmed for one purpose only, so the chance is very slim that she'll attack us even if we attack. And we'll have 001 with us by then, so he can take her on anyway."

"So it's agreed that when we _finally _find the place we'll go in peacefully and first try and talk things out with the people in there. No fighting until it's clear that it's necessary, got it?" Dr Gilmore gave Jet an extra hard look and the American scoffed but sullenly agreed.

"So I guess then all we have to do is wait for 001 to wake up," Oyuma said calmly.

"No need." Everyone turned to Françoise in shock. "They're coming to us; I can hear their plane coming."

Ignoring Joe's calls that he wanted to go too they all rushed outside, pulling out weapons as they went. The plane was only a passenger one; no weapons and no backup. Still, they kept their weapons out as they realized the great hole not having Ivan or Joe opened up. The pilot clambered out, hands raised and empty.

"I am Swift," he said in a gravely voice. "I come from-"

"We know who you're from," Jet spat harshly. "We want to know what you're doing here."

"My boss heard about the results of the trial of last night. He wants to speak to the one you call Cyborg 009."

:This is probably the best chance we'll get to get in… Then the butt-kicking can begin!: Jet told them all.

:Yes, but it also means we'll be walking straight into the lion's den without 001 or 009,: Pyuma warned.

:We've been in traps before. This is too good to pass up,: Albert said wisely.

"We're _all _coming," GB told the pilot, gabbing his thumb to his chest.

Swift hesitated; obviously the thought that it would be harder for the Mind Mistress to control a whole team of them was crossing his mind too. But finally he shrugged, knowing it was a lost cause otherwise.

"Just remember that we still have the Mind Mistress in our control. So no funny stuff," he warned as they went inside to fetch Joe.

"Didn't 009 say the Mind Mistress said she wouldn't attack us after his trial?" Chang muttered as they descended the stairs.

"Looks like her team-mates were told a different story…"

-x-x-x-

The business cyborgs' base was a huge, modern office building in the middle of nowhere, protected by cloaks and scramblers. As the 00 team got out of the plane just outside the small hanger G Junior, who was supporting a still weak Joe, stiffened. The younger cyborg patted the arm he was leaning on in sympathy. He didn't have the intense love for nature as his friend but even he could feel the despair the environment was feeling because of the place. Swift led them inside through the huge glass doors, glancing only briefly at the setting sun and muttering about being on time. As soon as he entered, three cyborgs launched themselves at him, babbling about the stock in Warehouse G7 urgently. Swift threw his hands up in frustration.

"Somebody get over here and lead Cyborg 009 to The Boss! May! MAY! Be their guide, already! I have to go!"

He left in a hurry but before any of them could move another person entered the hall and stood in front of them.

"Welcome to Black Ghost's Business Scheme. Please follow your guide faithfully and do not touch anything. Any attempts at mind control can, and will, be easily thwarted. Any questions should be directed to The Boss at the time of meeting," the new guide said in a monotone, letting them know it was a speech learnt by heart rather than her own words. Her eyes scanned them quickly, her expression looking as if it lacked something to Joe. When her eyes reached him the sense that some emotion was supposed to be showing but was not got so strong he could almost taste it, but her face remained impassive as she inclined her head. "Joe."

He inclined his head back. "Mayura."

"You know her?" Chang asked him, confused and perplexed.

"Er… Kinda…"

"How come you didn't get a cool cyborg name?" Jet asked Mayura's back as they made their way down the hall. "There was Swift, and one I heard was called Wiz an d another called Aztec… And then there's you with _nothing_."

"Mayura works fine for what I do." She didn't sound irritated, as he'd hoped she'd get.

"But did they give you a cool name? Or were you just deemed not special enough?" Jet pressed, trying to rile her up for a fight.

"I got one."

"What is it?"

She glanced back over her shoulder at him, still expressionless.

"The Mind Mistress."

That shut the American up at once, and Joe couldn't help but grin slightly at his friend's expression. Mayura pushed open a pair of double doors and they found themselves standing in a circular hall empty of everything except more doors, a carpet and a blonde male that was leaning against the biggest door just opposite to them.

"Well, well. Look what the May winds dragged in." His grin was mocking.

"You're supposed to be working, West," Mayura pointed out serenely.

West shrugged. "So? Nobody dares take me on. I'm the baddest salesman this place has ever seen and will ever see." His eyes flashed as he took in the team behind her. "Besides, beating them up will be much more fun."

"A: You won't even be able to clip their toenails; you have no weapons. And B: it's against the rules. So get out of my way. They're here to see The Boss."

"What if I don't want to?" West sneered, advancing on her.

"Then nothing will have changed about you," she replied flatly.

He snarled at her, eyes alight at the prospect of a fight, not matter how pointless. "Well, I'm not moving. So you're going to have to wait your bloody turn you little violet sl-"

Mayura rolled her eyes and clicked her fingers almost lazily. At once West began to scream, falling to his knees and clutching his head. The doors opposite them opened and a huge man in a suit stepped out, his eyebrow raised.

"Why is West shrieking like a little girl?" he asked Mayura.

"Right now, in his mind he's being burned by a six foot fire. I've heard that's not too pleasant."

The man chuckled at the same time Joe flinched at the memory of the inferno. The shrieking continued and the man sighed.

"He's making such a noise… I really should ask the doctors to tamper with his vocal chords. But for now, release him."

Mayura clicked her fingers again and West fell forward onto his face, whimpering. The Boss then turned his attention to the 00 team, beckoning them forward with his finger. Mayura waited until the whole team had filed in before following and shutting the door behind her. The Boss seated himself in a huge armchair on a platform and jerked his head towards a bunch of wooden chairs on the ground before him. Joe sank into one gratefully and G Junior patted his shoulder, worried, before seating himself in the chair next to him. Mayura plopped down at The Boss's feet, eating a bunch of grapes he had handed her.

"Well, 009, I must admit that I'm impressed," The Boss said suddenly. "Not only do I have faith in the calculations Black Ghost made in regard to your chance of survival but I also asked Mayura once, out of pure curiosity, to use her abilities on me. So I know that you must be much stronger than we ever thought to have survived May. She's very, very powerful."

"You flatter me, sir," Mayura said calmly, popping another grape in her mouth. "But I'm only as powerful as your worst mistake."

The Boss 'hmmphed' at that, but otherwise made no comment.

"She's the perfect weapon, but not good company. She never laughs at my joked, I'm afraid." He scowled at the girl at his feet.

"So you have a crap sense of humour?" Jet blurted, earning looks of disapproval from his team.

"No," The Boss answered him nonchalantly. "She just doesn't feel happiness. She doesn't feel much, actually. Black Ghost learnt from their mistakes with you. We took out all her memories and also removed her emotions." A frown covered his vast face. "Well, almost all of them. We left loyalty in, for our own advantages, and compassion, disgust and boredom somehow slipped through too. But other than those four emotions…"

He held his hands up in a mock shrug and Joe suddenly realized that the feeling he'd had before was him expecting surprise to cross Mayura's face. He'd been so sure she would be surprised to see them but her face had remained blank because she could not experience that emotion.

"You took away her emotions?" Albert's voice sounded strangled.

Mayura met his gaze steadily, her eyes large but blank of any feeling.

"Don't sound so shocked. She doesn't need them; they'll just complicate things. And it's not as if she misses them, anyway."

"Because she can't remember ever having them!" Albert was definitely mad.

The Boss shrugged, undisturbed.

"It doesn't matter. Emotionless or not, she's going to be the reason you will all be trapped here. Because even if you're stupid enough to attack her, you'll all just end up like West was a few moments ago. And it's because of her that Black Ghost will return in a few years; she will make us unstoppable." He plucked the remaining grapes from Mayura's hands. "Mayura, take them to the East wing's holding cells. Make sure the security is on its maximum and do whatever you have to to keep them co-operating." His eyes were steely as he smirked at them. "Just so you know, the longer May has spent in your head the easier it is for her to cause you pain. So if any of your friends try anything, 009…" He let the threat hang.

Jet snarled and Dr Gilmore put a restraining hand on his shoulder. They _would _fight to escape, but not then. After they had assessed and healed, and when they were away from Mayura and her power.

"And when you're done, Mayura, call Tack and tell him to contact our gang connection from in town and ask him if he has any weapons that will dispose of cyborgs for us. Especially the leader." His eyes narrowed as he looked Joe over, even though he was heavily leaning on G Junior again.

They had to work hard to stop themselves from attacking right then and there as they followed Mayura out the room like sheep to the slaughter. The waiting would be torture, and if they timed it wrong… The hall was empty of West and so they progressed without any hitches. But when they reached the crossroads in the main passage, Mayura turned south instead of east. The team slowed down, unease thick in their stomachs. Mayura raised an eyebrow questioningly at them.

"Didn't he say we had to go to the east cells?"

"He did." She was, as always, calm. "We're not going, though."

"Then where…?"

"To the hanger. So you can get a plane and get out of here."

They all stopped dead in their tracks, shocked and suspicious. Chang and GB exchanged a look.

"Mayura?' Joe asked hesitantly.

"The rules were that 009 gets the choice to face me alone or with the team. After that you were all to be left alone, no matter what the outcome. That was what I agreed to, what I was made to do. This is _not _part of the deal."

"Their lies and disregard for honour disgusts you," Dr Gilmore said quietly, suddenly understanding.

Mayura turned her head to him, her face hard with revulsion.

"Yes. And I promised Joe. Now let's go. The planes are very simple, but I won't be able to get you one with weapons- the only three we have are heavily guarded. So when you get in, you'll have to fly as fast as you can. I will stop them when they try to go after you."

"All of them at once?" Françoise frowned, speaking for the first time since they'd gotten into the plane. "But… Won't that…? That'll kill you…"

"Yes, and?" Mayura's eyebrow rose. At their shocked expressions she turned around fully to face them. "Listen, I'd be fourteen this year if I was allowed to live. But I'm going to stay thirteen forever. A thirteen-year-old girl who cannot feel anger, frustration, joy or sorrow. I'd still be able to survive without those emotions; they mostly do only bring complications. But not without love. I've watched enough movies, read enough books these past few months to want it, even though I don't know _how _to want or long for anything. It was alright while I still looked at everyone here and concluded that cyborg's cannot love. But then I got into your head, Joe…" She looked at him steadily. "I'm not going to live without the only bit of magic humans and cyborgs own."

There was silence for a long moment and then Albert stepped forward and laid one hand on her shoulder briefly. Understanding passed between them in an instant.

"Thank you," the German told her.

Mayura nodded at him, then continued on her way, leading them to the hanger and opening the plane door for them. As Joe passed her, she grabbed his arm and then placed one finger on his forehead briefly. He jumped in shock at whatever she told him, but then smiled at her dryly and a little sadly.

"Thanks, Mayura. I wish I could…"

"Don't think of this as a mistake," she told him, her voice sounding almost gentle. "You're _helping _me, and you really don't need to feel any more guilt for a while. Good luck, Cyborg 009."

Pyuma fired up the engine and they were halfway out before the alarms started screaming. Mayura stood straight, her face as always expressionless and her hair waving in the wake of their departure. Françoise watched her out the windows as they flew away, her face sad.

"She's pulled almost all of them under her power… They can't handle it; she's going all out…. The mental strain is… is killing them… And now she's…" The blonde started trembling. "All their bodies are just lying there…"

Albert patted her back soothingly as her lip trembled. Joe wanted to comfort her too, but what could he do?

_Joe, do me a favour. I can't feel love, so you have to for me. Tell the pretty blonde how you feel, okay? Don't let it become one of your mistakes._

He reached across the chair he was sitting in and took her hand in his, smiling when she blushed but did not pull away. Their grip intensified as something in Joe's subconscious told him Mayura breathed her last.


End file.
